a) Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to an enjoyable-to-see savings box in which a reflecting surface or mirror is used for a coin thrown into the coin compartment to look as if it had been reduced in size and also for the coins received in the compartment to look as if they counted a larger number than the capacity of the compartment.
b) Prior Art Statement
Magic devices of this kind using a mirror are well known. A typical one of such devices is a magic cabinet disclosed in, for example, "Hoffmann's Modern Magic" by Professor Hoffmann (Angelo John Lewis), pp 476 to 477. As illustrated in FIG. 1, a hollow cabinet indicated with A has provided at the front thereof folding doors B which can be freely closed and opened. The cabinet A has also provided therein a post C standing in the center thereof. Movable flaps D are provided as hinged at one side thereof at either rear corner of the cabinet A. The free sides of these flaps D are circularly movable between the post C and both the right and left sides, respectively, inside the cabinet A. Each of the flaps D has a reflecting surface E provided on the entire front side thereof.
An example use of this magic device is as follows:
The exhibitor sets a skeleton behind the flap D and closes the flap D beforehand. He opens the doors B of the cabinet A and directs his assistant to walk into the cabinet A. Then he closes the doors B of the cabinet A. The assistant in the cabinet A opens the flap D, relocates the skeleton having been set behind the flap B to the front of the flap D, closes the flap D and hides himself behind the flap D. Thereafter the exhibitor opens the doors B of the cabinet A. The audience will be surprised to see the skeleton standing in the assistant's place.
In this magic device, since the inner walls of the cabinet A are seen on the reflecting surfaces E on the front sides of the flaps D, the audience will be given an illusion that the cabinet A is empty without the flaps D.
However, since this magic device is of a large volume, it cannot be applied as it is as a savings box for personal use at home.